Massage apparatus.



No. 879,041. PATENTED FEB. 11 1908. G; E. EGAN. MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1906.

[NVENTOR Altomey .by electrically- .lriven motor means.

-moved -with regard to the motor.

UNITED sTACr s PATENT OFFICE.

(HARLES E. EGAN, OI PETERSBURG, ILLINOIS, ASSlGNOlt, BY DIRECT AND MESNE' ARSlGNIVlEN'lS, TO EGAN ELEU'lTl-tltl MASSAGE VIBRATOR COMPANY.

MA$SAGE A'FPPARA'IUS.

Specification of Letters iatent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed January 26.1906. Serial No, 297.973.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. EGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at letcrshurg, in the county of Menard and State ol" Illino s, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Massage Apparatus, of which the following a speeiiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to massage apparatus, and particularly to such as is actuated Heretotore such means have been of necessity unwieldy and dillicult to move'about, also of a size and shape that would prevent their ready manipulation, even without regard to their mass. In a few instances where such motor means have been appliedto massage purposes, it has been necessary to move the body to be treated into operative position with regard to the massage apparatus,or to provide a flexible shaft or coupling which would permit the driven apparatus to be Both of these arrangements have proved more or less unsatisfactory, except in a limited class of work, and for many purposes Where massage would otherwise be applied, it has been barred by the nature of the only devices available.

It is the object of my present invention to produce a' massage apparatus which can be supplied from any convenient source of electrical current, which. will be light and In order to attain the object of my invention I have selected a vibrating electrical motor as the most suitable for my purpose,

of the same general type as those employed in electrical bells, making such changes in this motor as are necessary to" adapt it particularly to my purpose. I provide this with a massage head of suitable form and construction, and arrange the parts so that the circuit of the motor magnet is normally -.broken, and the device automatically ren vdered inactive until it is taken up for use.

" inclose the entire apparatus in a small com pact boX, with a handle so arranged relatively t9 the massage head that the degree oi pressure applied in certain directions will determine the amount of energy expended in the vibration.

The magnets of my motor are suitably wound to take current either from a eom-- incrcial source, such as an electric lighting circuit, or from a primary battery which may be carried in a portable case. The device is thus available in any locality, and without undue expense.

The invention is illustrated panying drawings, in jwhicl Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a central section thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a manipulating handle which is secured by a screw-threaded stud 3 and a casing 2 adapted to inclose the working parts of the apparatus. This stud 3 and the haiidle 1 are both provided throughout their length with a channel or opening for the reception of the circuit wires 4, which are led out from the end of the handle to the connecting terminals, for attachment to electric light circuit or hat I tery, as is deemed advisable, or as expedh ency requires.

Mounted on a suitable base 5 secured with in the casing are the magnets 6, which are mounted side by side, as in electric bell constructions, and which are provided with the usual soi't iron cores 7, in this instance, and provided with non-magnetic contact points 8, with, which the armature 9 contacts, so as to prevent it from sticking. Adjacent the magnets 6, and also mounted upon the base 5, is an upright or post 10, to which is secured the flat spring 11 of the armature 9. This flat spring 11 connects the armature to the post 10,-and normally holds the armature in .e'r1gagement with the non-m agnetic contacts 8. To the top of the armature is secured the contact spring 12, which is normally out of engagement, but adapted to contact, with a platinum point on a frame 18, which extends up from the side of one magnet 6, and overin the accomture 9.

The outer end of thearmature 9 is en larged as at 14-, to'accommodate the screw 15 for attaching the rubber cup 16, which is provided in this instance with "a serrated or tween two washers 18 and 19, anda clamp hangs the core of said, magnet and the armatoothed edge 17. This cup is secured .be-

nut 20 is provided so that the structure comprising the cup' 16, the washers 18 and 19, the screw 15, and the nut 20, may be removed as a Whole from the end of the armature and replaced by different shaped cups to be used upon different parts of the body as the operatoi' desires. The screw 15 projects through and beyond the nut 20, and is threaded witl in the enlarged portion of the armature 14.

The circuit through the device is as follows: From battery or electric light circuit, (and in this latter instance the windings of the magnets would have to have a somewhat greater resistance), through the handle 1 and the stud 3 to the magnets (13, to the frame 13,

and wl en the armature is closed, through the armature 9, flat spring l], post 10, and to battery or electric light circuitthrough handle 1.

The operation is as follows: The circuit normally being broken by the armature resting upon the core, instead ol the contact spring 12, being in ei'lgagement with the? frame 13, so as to normally have the circuit closed, asin electro-vilnating bells, it is necessary that the cup 16 be placed against some object or some part of the body, and raised so as to bring the spring 12 into contact with the frame 13. circuit and starts the vibration. of the armature, which will continue as long as the device is pulled in a direction so as to force/ the armature and the contact springs 12 into cngageinent with the frame 1;), so as to complete the circuit.

Having thus described my invention, what This completes the i circuit wires of said. electroma neti I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- In an electric massage vibrator, the combination with an inc-losing casing, of a base therein, electroinagnets mounted upon said base, a post projecting up from said base adjacent said electroinagnets and in line therewith, an armature pivoted at one end to the post and i'ivorlying the electromagnet, a massaging device interchangeably connected to one end of the armature, a spring at the opposite end of the armature adapted to hold it against the cores of said electromagnets, a frame overhanging the armature above the core of one of the elcetromagnets, a contact on said frame, a contact spring carried by said armature adapted to engage the contact of the frame but normally held away from the contact by the resilience of the spring which holds the armature against the cores of the electroniagnets, said contact spring adapted to engage the contact on the l'rame JPOU operation of the n'iassage device so as to complete the circuit ol the electromagnet and start vibration of the armature, an operating handle attached to the casing at right angles to the armature and parallel to the axes of the magnets, and a channel running through said operating handle adapted to receive the in testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. EGAN. Wi tnessesx h]. lflnnons'ron, J12, daisies UNmt. 

